
Baldur's Gate 3 seems like the clear pick for the best game of 2023 (and it clinched The Game Awards' GOTY), but asserting dominance over a major industry's annual offerings is no easy task. The year boasted numerous standout titles, with games such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Marvel's Spider-Man, and Alan Wake 2 earning praise from both critics and fans. A closer examination helps untangle the strength of the argument for Baldur's Gate 3 and whether it genuinely sits comfortably at the pinnacle.
Despite the initial potential it displayed in early access, Baldur's Gate 3 was somewhat unexpected in terms of sales and acclaim. Reviving a series dormant for over two decades, the game entered a specific genre and demanded a potentially significant time commitment to see its story unfold. While there was never much doubt about its performance within its niche, it exceeded expectations by making waves in the broader gaming community, turning characters like Shadowheart and Astarion into hot topics for months.
The Scale Of Baldur's Gate 3 Is Mind-Blowing

If there's a straightforward reason to grant Baldur's Gate 3 the title of the best game of 2023, it's the impressive scale achieved by developer Larian Studios. Constructing an extensive RPG narrative with numerous diverging paths is a daunting undertaking for any game, a path treaded by many titles before. Yet, accomplishing this with full voice acting, top-notch graphics, intricate reactivity systems, and meticulous attention to detail elevates the challenge to another level. Witnessing the final outcome makes it difficult to fathom the immense effort invested in creating the experience.
While Baldur's Gate 3 stands out for its remarkable scale in 2023, other games like Starfield, boasting over 1,000 planets, present an evident alternative. However, BG3's inclusion of genuinely unique content is hard to surpass. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom may contend for a similarly expansive and diverse content offering, but its appeal is somewhat muted by its resemblances to Breath of the Wild. Both are widely acclaimed, yet Tears of the Kingdom, despite its own innovations, feels familiar due to its reuse of the setting and core elements.
2023 Was A Great Year For Video Game Stories

Baldur's Gate 3 excels in various aspects, but its writing stands out prominently. Unforgettable characters, intricate situations, and captivating story beats create a rich interpretation of the Dungeons & Dragons setting of Faerûn. It successfully establishes a unique space, avoiding dismissal as generic fantasy. Additionally, the game injects humor reminiscent of DnD without compromising the world's believability.

However, Baldur's Gate 3 is not the sole major title with a compelling narrative. Alan Wake 2, leveraging Remedy Entertainment's knack for unconventional storytelling, elevates the storytelling experience. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty diverge in more intriguing directions compared to their predecessors. The indie scene, including the somewhat ambiguously indie Dave the Diver, doesn't lag in this aspect, with A Space for the Unbound standing out as a notable example.
Baldur's Gate 3 Had A Rocky Launch

While Baldur's Gate 3's launch generated widespread enthusiasm, the game's exceptional merits overshadowed discussions about its issues. Despite a lengthy development and early access phase, the release revealed an array of bugs and inconsistencies. It's challenging to place excessive blame on Larian Studios, given the game's vast scale, which inherently invites opportunities for problems. Players in August likely encountered peculiar NPC behaviors or frustrating crashes.
Optimization proved to be a significant challenge at Baldur's Gate 3's launch, with subsequent breakthroughs addressing the serious slowdown triggered in Act 3.
Although the game remains imperfect, Larian has made remarkable efforts to rectify the rocky launch, implementing frequent patches featuring hundreds of fixes and quality-of-life improvements. While not reaching the problematic state of, for instance, the initial days of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor's PC port, which rendered one of the year's best titles unplayable for many, Baldur's Gate has undoubtedly improved in 2024 compared to most of 2023. Those who took their time with the title likely had a more favorable experience in BG3's buggy third act than the game's most dedicated players at launch.
Baldur's Gate 3 Earns The Title Of The Best

Declaring any single experience as "the best" is a challenging task, given the subjective nature of individual preferences and unique advantages. However, if any game from 2023 deserves the title, it's Baldur's Gate 3, as recognized by Screen Rant's 2023 Game of the Year award. Even during its rough patches, Baldur's Gate 3 garnered immense interest due to its innate appeal, and Larian's continuous efforts in enhancing the game have addressed many concerns. While several top games of the year polished familiar experiences, Baldur's Gate 3 stands out with audacity, reaching for the stars.
Longevity is a crucial factor in determining the best, considering that many initially acclaimed games are eventually forgotten. While predicting which titles will be remembered in ten years is challenging, Baldur's Gate 3 has a strong chance. It seems unlikely that other RPGs will match its scope and quality standard anytime soon, making a compelling case for lasting impact. Only time will reveal if Baldur's Gate 3 secures its place as the best game of 2023 in history, but for now, it stands as a strong contender.
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